


The Lucky One

by s_l_y_t_h_e_r_i_n_d_o_l_l



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alcohol, College AU, Corruption, Crime, Drug Use, F/M, Gambling, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Mafia AU, Modern AU, Murder, Non-Graphic Rape/Non-Con, Theft, Two Endings, Violence, bonnie and clyde esque
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:15:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27735190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/s_l_y_t_h_e_r_i_n_d_o_l_l/pseuds/s_l_y_t_h_e_r_i_n_d_o_l_l
Summary: She didn’t like people like him. In fact, she hated people like him. He was the embodiment of everything that she was brought up to avoid. Somehow, that doesn’t prevent her from going back time and time again. It’s not long before her nights are spent listening to him complain about work and the greedy tycoons that he has to deal with, which somehow always ends in him making love to her against his silken sheets. She’s there during his favorite pastime, wearing some expensive dress by a person whose name she cannot pronounce as he tosses money around like it’s nothing. Maybe to him it is nothing, but he always ends up getting it back tenfold, a smug grin on his lips, eyes always coming back to rest on her. She’s his lucky charm, he tells her one night, and Draco was always a great believer in luck.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott/Blaise Zabini
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome if you're new to my writing, and hello if you're coming over from ff.net. This story is my mafia au that I started because I didn't think there was enough of those in the fandom. The first chapter is taken from a kpop drabble that I did get permission from the author to use. If you want to read all of the chapters so far, they are on ff.net under the same name. If not, then you can happily wait for me to upload them all here.
> 
> This fic will contain heavy topics such as violence, alcohol and drug use, gambling, murder, corruption, and theft. I do hope you all enjoy and I will do my best to properly tag and warn before each chapter.

The first time she met _him_ was when she had to pick up Teddy, who was wasted at a party.

It was after a bitter voice blurted out an address over the phone that she found herself nervously stepping out of her car and into a towering building. Apparently, her name was one of the only ones on his contact list without a nasty nickname attached to it. The others were probably other snobbish tycoons who Teddy had to deal with.

Loud music nearly burst her eardrums as soon as she stepped inside. She wasn't sure if the place was a mansion or some kind of resort, and though it's not clear, what _is_ clear is the group Teddy hangs out with.

Theodore "Teddy" Nott has always been a rich kid, his father the president of a rather large conglomerate and his wealth having no limits. Perhaps it's because he's still young, or because his older brother has more responsibility than him within the company, but she knows that when he's not drowsing in his classes at university, he's attending parties held by rich socialites, more often than not including illegal drugs and some gambling.

It's before she can step any further that a man towers over her, shouting over the music, "What's your business here?"

"I came to pick up Theo," she stated, though her words came out in small squeaks and mumbles.

She refrained from using his given nickname around this crowd, almost positive that he would not appreciate it.

It was a miracle that the male understood her over the music. He simply nodded and led her through the crowd. The warmth of crowds of bodies and the dimmed lights made her head dizzy, her mind unable to register the rustling of cash being thrown on a long table and the sloshing of alcohol in expensive glass cups.

She approached a room that was quite large, but she felt something unsettling tugging at the back of her mind. A swarm of sultry girls and guys, drunk on wine, laugh and throw bills like cheap scraps of paper at two men fighting in what seemed to be a metal cage.

The tall male left her side for a moment, and it was in that moment that a peculiar male swiveled around, Rolex on his wrist and Armani garbing his slim body. His pale blonde hair glowed in the dim lighting, the ends curling just underneath his ear. He held an ornate glass, dark wine glimmering in the low light. He cheered as one of the men fell to the ground, cash thrown at his feet as people groan about how he always seemed to place his bets on the right guy.

His eyes met hers for a moment, silver and striking, and perhaps it was the light or the scent of drugs, but she thought could see a smirk play on his wet lips.

This man would be the one to change everything.

She only had a moment to observe his face, because the tall male returned with Teddy, unable to stand on his own two feet.

"Are you Theo's girlfriend?" the tall man asked.

"I'm just a friend," she answered.

"I see," he nodded, an impish twinkle in his eye as if he didn't believe her. "I'm Blaise, one of Theo's friends. Both of you, take care."

"Thank you," she murmured, a terse handshake shared with Blaise before she left with Teddy's body draped against hers.

She has often been mistaken as Teddy's girlfriend. She's simply his friend.

At least, that's what _she_ thinks…

Their fathers were childhood friends, yet she had never met him until her first year of university. After meeting at a dinner party his family had hosted, she realized they had a few classes together. She had gotten him out of a few sticky situations- lending him notes for his classes, offering him a place to sleep when he couldn't return home with the scent of alcohol and cigarette smoke woven into his expensive suits, and picking him up from gambling parties. It was obvious to anybody that Theo was affectionate for her, evident in the warm smiles he gave her, as opposed to the harsh glares he offered to anyone else.

"Is that you?" Teddy murmured as she got him into the car.

"Yeah, it's me," she mumbled, sliding into the driver's seat and starting up the car. "I'm taking you back to my place."

"Thanks," he murmured.

The image of dirty cash and bodies intertwined under colored lights is one that stayed in her mind for a while.

* * *

The second time she saw _him_ , Teddy is at another party, but at the same place, perhaps about a month later.

She attempted to dress up at least a little this time, a deep red blouse falling over her shoulders and a black skirt wrapped around her waist. When she arrived, she was not as surprised by the loud music and cheering.

"You're back," Blaise smiled.

"Why was I called this time?" she asked.

"Theo's drunk," he answered, but when she turned her head, she saw Teddy leaning against the wall, laughing drunkenly while a girl was pressed flush against him, a flirty smile gracing her lips.

Yet he didn't seem nearly as wasted as last time.

"He seems alright," she said, almost grumbling.

The place was quite the drive from where she lived, and she was a bit put out to have driven all this way for nothing.

"He always talks about you when he drinks," Blaise winks.

She frowned, and she wondered if this is all just a joke.

She simply stood in place, until Teddy made his way through the crowd to find her. He was only slightly disoriented, his eyes wavering.

"You're here," he slurred happily, until the girl appeared at his side once more.

"You shouldn't drink so much," she scolded, but the other girl was already dragging him away, as he yelled, "I'll be right back."

She stepped through the crowd to find him, only to end up surrounded by indifferent people swaying to the music.

She turned around, heading back towards the door, until she nearly collided with a chest. Her eyes flickered up, and her breath hitched as she recognized the male as _him_. His eyes were as shiny as the silver ring on her finger, yet swimming with an inviting darkness, and the satin button-down he wore revealed tempting slivers of skin around his chest.

Her eyes darted to his wrist, and the Rolex was there, but it was a different style this time.

"Theo's girlfriend?" he asked, an eyebrow dipping menacingly as a wicked smile crosses his lips.

"We're just friends," she answered with a heavy sigh.

The male held out a calloused hand.

"Draco," the name rolls off of his tongue like a purr, and he smiled as she curtly shook his hand.

"Hermione."

She nearly had to yell her name for him to hear over the crowd and the music.

"Where is Theo?" Draco asked, but she got the feeling that he really didn't care.

"With another girl," she answered.

Hermione was about to tell him that she wanted to leave, she wasn't ready to tell her parents why she was at a party with drugs and gambling if she ever got caught, but the man placed a hand on her back and led her through the crowd. He led her to a table with a few other males and an intense crowd, eyes darting around as cards and dice were scattered everywhere. A chandelier swayed overhead while the floor beneath her seemed to rumble with the swarms of people. He urged her to sit, his other hand on her shoulder.

"Let's wait for Theo together," he _suggested_ , an underlying threat just beneath the surface, daring her to object.

She does.

"I want to leave," she told him, suddenly very aware of his close proximity and the warm hand burning a hole into her back.

A devious smirk slowly danced along his lips.

"Princess, the game has just started," he said, almost menacingly. "Since you're here, you might as well just stay and enjoy the show."

She attempted to stand up, until she felt a different hand clamp on her shoulder and push her back into her seat. She looked behind to see a tall man with a built figure. She swallowed, reluctantly turning back around.

"It's a lot more fun than you think," Draco chuckled. He reached to boldly tuck a stray curl behind her ear, to which she pushed his arm away from her.

Unbothered by her rejection, his fingers reached into the pockets of his trousers, emerging with a wad of cash tied neatly together with a band. He whipped the band off and tossed the cash into the center of the table, the other males cheering. His eyes narrowed as he reached for the cards, his gaze so stern that she became slightly afraid of his suddenly dark countenance.

Cash was thrown around as people made bets, and she's almost disgusted at how they treat money as if it's nothing.

"Going all in?" another male asked Draco.

"Always," Draco smiled.

Cards slid across the table as dice orchestrated the murmurs of the spectators around the table. Eventually, glasses were handed around, and Draco was pouring her wine.

"You know, I'm probably the richest at this table," Draco boasted.

His fingers reached into his pocket once more, emerging with another roll of bills. He offered them to her, and her face flushed with anger, and she smacked his hand away, the dollars rolling onto the table.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked. "I don't want anything from you."

His eyes met Hermione's with a determination that scared her.

"I'm interested in you," Draco said quite honestly, and she wasn't sure whether it was because of his gruff personality or the wine. "And Theo's not your boyfriend which means you're free."

"I don't like people like you," she told him honestly.

"Ouch," he winced, before saying, "You know what? Let's do this. I'm a master of bets. If I roll a six with both dice, you have to do what I ask you. If not, we'll never see each other again."

The probability of him doing it is low, so she almost immediately agreed, but she couldn't ignore the small voice telling her to avoid this man once and for all, before it was too late. He's _dangerous_. She didn't know how she possibly knew that, but she just does.

He clasped his hands around the dice, shaking them lightly before tossing them so nonchalantly with a slight flick of the wrist. The pattering of the dice as they scrambled across the table echoed with the rapid pounding of her heart, and she could feel her lungs constrict as she read the numbers.

Two sixes.

"Jackpot," Draco grinned wickedly.

Though apprehension knots her eyebrows together, there is a part of Hermione that is slightly relieved he has rolled two sixes.

"You said you would do what I ask you," he said.

"What do you want?" she hesitantly asked.

It was a stupid question, really. They both know exactly what he wants.

He took a sip of wine before clasping his hands together. His polished shoes are propped on the table now, as he began, "I know about your father's business."

She suddenly felt a bit defensive, hands clasped tightly around the glass of wine.

"I did my research on you," he smiled. "And it seems you're going through a bit of trouble."

Hermione's father once owned a dental corporation, she had lived in moderate wealth, wealth others would envy, but not wealth to the degree that she could step over dollar bills like a carpet and toss them out of her window whenever she felt like it. However, it had not been that long ago that the business had gone bankrupt, and she struggled with living expenses and tuition.

"I have what you need…," Draco said. "…but you need to give me what I want."

He paused in silence, as if waiting for her to ask.

"What do you want?" she gulped.

_"You."_


	2. Chapter 2

"Why were you hanging around with Draco Malfoy?"

These were the first words that greeted her as soon as she had settled Teddy and herself into her car. She froze, only for a millisecond, before buckling in and starting the ignition.

"It was nothing. He was just keeping me company while I waited for _you_ ," she calmly replied.

She could feel his eyes on her, and Hermione's earlier suspicions of him not being so drunk came back to mind. She glanced at him as she navigated the sharp turns of the street, the city lights guiding her path. His dark blue eyes glowed in the dimly lit vehicle as they rested on her, something unknown in them. Teddy suddenly sighed, shifting in his seat before leaning his head against the passenger window.

"Draco Malfoy isn't… _good_ , Hermione."

His words came out clear and with so much conviction in them that she was forced to listen. Her hands tightened around the steering wheel, heart pounding as he confirmed what she already knew.

"He's a gambler and he does drugs and I'm pretty sure he's a borderline alcoholic. He isn't known for his hospitality and he doesn't run with the best of crowds-."

" _Oh_? What are you, then? Correct me if I'm wrong, _Theodore_ , but didn't I just pick you up from the same party that he was attending? For the _second_ time?"

He huffed in irritation, suddenly sitting up in his seat, startling her with his abrupt movement.

"It's different, _we're_ different. People who get caught up with him…" he suddenly shook his head, scoffing "He's caught up in shit that a girl like you couldn't even imagine."

Hermione frowned, his words striking something within her.

" _A girl like me?_ Oh, I see. I'm your innocent, goody-two-shoes friend who you feel you have to protect from the charming, rich asshole lest he corrupt her," she spat.

"Yes! That's exactly it, Hermione. He doesn't associate with just anyone, and he sure as hell doesn't do it for the sake of being friendly. You were there at the _table_ , by his _side_. He was laughing with you and pouring you… _drinks_ ," he spat out the word like it was something dirty. "He fancies you."

Hermione already knew this. Now, she also knew that Teddy had seen more than she originally thought. She had been convinced that it was pure chance he showed up at the table, telling her he was ready to go, just as Draco had finished speaking.

"Maybe I'm interested in him," she weakly replied.

It wasn't a complete lie. While a large part of her was repulsed by Draco simply for his attitude, she couldn't deny that she was also intrigued by the mysterious man. His offer still burned an elephant sized hole in her brain.

_"I have what you need…but you need to give me what I want."_

Teddy's sudden sharp laughter brought her out of her reverie, and she found herself frowning at her tipsy friend. She glared at him, eyes flickering back and forth between him and the road.

"What? What is so funny?"

"You're not interested in him," he boldly stated with a shake of his head.

"I could be," she defended.

"Look, I don't know what you're trying to prove with this conversation, but you're not interested in him. You sleep with blokes like _Ronald Weasley_ and _Cormac McLaggen_. You associate with vanilla boys who take you to the movies and kiss you on the cheek at the door, luring you into their beds with false promises of love and commitment only to metaphorically leave you on your ass the next week when they break it off, a new girl on their arm two days later."

Hermione sharply inhaled, the sting of tears pushing at her eyes as Teddy's words hit her like a freight train. God, she loved him, truly she did, but she absolutely _hated_ how brutally honest he could be. She swallowed, biting her lip as he continued.

"You're used to little boys who like to play mind games and give you a false sense of security and hope. You don't know guys like Draco. Hell, you don't even like guys like Draco…like me."

"Theo…"

"I see the way you look at me sometimes. I know that you judge my lifestyle, my friends. You hate picking me up from these parties because you hate coming face to face with the kind of life I live. You hate the money and the drugs and their snobbish attitudes. We became friends purely by default, and if it wasn't for our families, you would not even associate yourself with me at all."

"That-that's not true. Yes, I do judge your lifestyle sometimes. Only because I don't understand it, and I probably never will. Yes, I was opposed to you at first. After all, I knew all about you, but you grew on me. You are my friend, Teddy. Don't ever doubt that," she said.

Hermione loved him and would always be his friend. She just wondered if he would say the same if he ever found out about the true nature of her and Draco's conversation.

* * *

Hermione was thankful that she didn't have class the next day. After all, it was about three o'clock in the morning when she had gotten the phone call from Blaise. She was tired and stressed because of university. She purposefully ignored the envelope on her kitchen table, reminding her of her monthly bill that was going to automatically charge her card.

She poured herself a small cup of coffee, doing her best not to dwell on the events of last night. She glanced at the notice with a grimace, ignoring how much better Draco's offer was looking by the minute. The sharp ring of the doorbell forced her to set her mug down on the counter, hesitantly approaching the door in confusion.

Her eyes widened as she looked through the peephole, heart lurching in surprise. She took a slow step back, at war with herself on whether or not she should open it. That small part of her, the one intrigued by this man, won for the time being.

A black suit garbed his fit frame, pale locks pushed away from his face, and a single rose was in his hand. She peeked around him, taking note of the expensive car parked in front of her house with distaste. His presence was just as imposing as last time and she almost lost her train of thought.

"How did you find me?"

He said nothing, simply raising an eyebrow, a small smirk dancing over his lips. That was a good enough answer for her.

"Right," she sighed.

Draco struck her as the kind of guy who had connections, and lots of them. Finding her had probably been no trouble for him at all. She didn't want him around, especially since Harry was supposed to be stopping by at any moment. She decided to get straight to the point.

"Why are you here?"

"You know why I'm here."

His voice was much different without the obnoxious sounds of partygoers and music drowning it out. It was smooth and controlled, like silk. Oddly enough, it reminded her of the first time she had gotten drunk. It was just after her breakup with Ron, she had been an absolute wreck. Ginny had made her a rum and coke and the concoction had glided down her throat with ease, despite the fact that there was way more rum than there was coke. She remembered the smooth feeling of it and how it had immediately warmed her cold frame, the heat enveloping her body like a blanket.

She crossed her arms over her chest, looking up at him with something akin to skepticism.

"You mean to tell me that you took the time and effort to track me down like some stalker and showed up on my doorstep with..." she glanced at the red flower "…a single rose all because you're interested in me?"

"You sound surprised," he quietly stated.

"Why?"

"I want you. Do I need a valid reason as to why? We've just met, after all, so it isn't like there could actually be a legitimate reason other than the fact that I saw a beautiful girl that I wanted to pursue," he answered.

_Pursue is an interesting way of putting it_ , she thought and a crooked smile graced her lips.

"Pursue…right. I'm not accepting your offer," she told him.

"No?"

He looked, dare she say it, surprised.

"No. It's basically a modern form of prostitution, and while I hold no judgement for people who do that just to make it in this world, that's not who I am."

He chuckled, an addicting sound, showcasing a set of pearly white teeth. For a split second, he looked slightly menacing.

"May I come inside?"

Her answer was immediate.

"No."

He was unbothered by her rejection.

"Very well. The…offer was simply supposed to be…an _incentive_ of sorts. I know how badly you need the money and, as you said before, you don't like people like me. I like to consider myself an opportunist and I saw an opportunity to get what I want," he explained, tapping the rose against her nose.

She had to give him his props for he was right. She never would have entertained him otherwise, she didn't like people like him. He held the rose out to her, and she gingerly took it with a small 'thank you'.

"I'll see you around…Hermione."

"How can you be so sure of that?"

He said nothing, simply stepping back with a small smirk before making his way to his car. She fingered the rose while leaning against the door frame, admiring it as he peeled out of her driveway. As the sound of his car faded down the street, a dreaded feeling began to fester in her stomach. It was a feeling that told her that she would be seeing him around, much more often than she would like.


	3. Chapter 3

"You need to get more rest…"

Hermione heaved a small sigh, shoulders lowering as Harry's words reached her ears. It was the exact same words he'd uttered ten days ago during his visit. The day after the alluring enigma, Draco Malfoy, had offered her a chance to escape her debt. The same day said man had unexpectedly showed up on her doorstep, attempting to woo her into agreeing to his offer. In the ten days since then, she'd seen him everywhere.

Or at least…she was sure she did.

She had never actually seen _him_ per se, but she would never forget the sight of his expensive black car parked on her street, looking so out of place in her average neighborhood. She had been seeing that car, and others like it, _everywhere_. At first she had simply chalked it up to her imagination, convincing herself that she was looking for things that weren't there. She'd written it off as pure coincidence or something, kind of like when someone one knows gets a new car, and they suddenly notice the car a lot more than they did before.

However, two nights ago, as she had been taking out the trash, she saw it. It wasn't the exact same car that he'd been driving that day, but it was a similar model. It had the same sleek look to it that just screamed wealth, and her heart had faltered within her chest. She had paused, staring at the car with wide eyes just before it roared to life and sped away. She was certain of it then.

He, or someone, was watching her.

She wasn't sure what that meant, and that scared her, allowing her overactive mind to come up with all sorts of wild thoughts. Was _he_ watching her, biding his time, waiting for the opportune moment to try and woo her again? Or was it someone else? Theo's warning came back to mind, hinting at Draco Malfoy's involvement in less-than-stellar extracurricular activities. What if he was right? Theo _would_ know, wouldn't he? What if someone had seen them together, whether at the party or in front of her house, and had assumed they were involved or something? What if it was someone who didn't care for the blond man?

Hermione shook her head, bringing the warm mug to her lips, the steamy liquid slowly taking up residence in her body, heating her cold frame. Her imagination was really beginning to run wild, and she was sure she'd drive herself crazy if she kept this up.

"Sorry," she apologized "…just haven't been sleeping well lately."

It was true. Between the ever growing stress that came from school related problems, and now _this_ , her nights had consisted of more tossing and turning than rest as of late.

Harry heaved a small sigh like she'd done earlier.

"Mione…I already told you. I can help you, all you need to do is ask," he offered for the umpteenth time.

"…and I already told you. I'm not taking your money, Harry. You and Ginny have a wedding to plan, you're getting ready to start a _life_ together. You need that money," she softly replied.

His fingers tapped on the table as he sat across from her, the buzzing of students in the café surrounding them like a fog. He was irritated, that much was obvious.

She had never intended for him to find out just how much debt she was in, she had never intended for anyone to. It was purely unfortunate of her to leave the envelope on her kitchen counter one day, a day he'd decided to make an unexpected visit. It had prompted an argument like no other, one filled with lots of crying on her part. Harry couldn't understand why she had never said anything, why she didn't go to him, to any of them, for help.

She let out a soft chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

"Besides, if I ever got _that_ desperate, I'd just ask Teddy. Lord knows he's got more than enough…"

Harry rolled his eyes at this, and in return, Hermione shook her head.

Harry, and the rest of her friends, had made it quite clear how they felt about Theo, and more importantly, the crowd of people he associated with. Ginny had made it known on plenty of occasions that she thought Theo was bad news and was scared that it would come back around to negatively affect Hermione. Hermione couldn't exactly blame them though. Once upon a time, she'd thought the same thing. While she had definitely heard whispers of Theo throughout school, it would be years before she put a face to the name.

Upon meeting him, he wasn't what Hermione had expected. She'd expected some hard faced spoiled brat who could make girls weak at the knees with just one haughty smirk. She hadn't expected the respectable looking young man with almost girlish lips and soft blue eyes. It had been hard for her to correlate the stories she'd heard with the handsome young man before her. Over time, after growing much closer to him, Hermione learned that all of those stories were indeed true. They still continued to be true. He hadn't gone into much detail that night she'd picked him up off of the street, cheek bruised and lip busted, but he'd made it abundantly clear that he _wasn't_ a nice guy.

Hermione knew that there was another side to him, another part of his life that he kept on lock lest she get too curious one day. Hermione was perfectly fine with that. Honestly, she wasn't sure if she wanted to see the other side. The side that got into fights and kicked girls out of his bed before they even got a chance to catch their breath.

"It amazes me that you still choose to associate with him," Harry scoffed, bringing his hot chocolate to his lips.

She frowned at his condescending tone, like Theo was beneath them or something.

"He's my friend, and he isn't as bad as you make him out to be," she defended.

Harry didn't reply, opting to agree to disagree, avoiding yet _another_ argument about Theo. He suddenly set his mug down, eyes troubled as he regarded her.

"Are you coming tomorrow night?"

Hermione tensed, heart pounding as his words reached her ears.

Ronald was returning from the states tomorrow morning, and his family had decided to throw him a party, welcoming him back. They'd invited her, of course, still a daughter in their eyes despite what had happened between her and the devilishly handsome redhead. Her shoulders eased with the loss of tension as she exhaled, fingers brushing along her quickly cooling mug of coffee.

Ronald Weasley had been the love of her life, or at least, she had once considered him that. They had only dated for seven months, but she'd been staring at him like he hung the damn moon for years. It was something Ginny had often teased her about, before frowning in disgust, stating that she could do much better. Hermione agreed then that that may have been true, but she hadn't wanted better. She'd only wanted Ron.

Oh, how she wish she had listened to Ginny.

Those seven months had been everything to her, finally getting what she had wanted for so long, before everything eventually went down in flames. During their first year of university, Ron had confessed that he'd kissed one of his classmates at a party… _three months prior_. As if that wasn't enough, he'd told her that it had happened two more times after that with the same girl. Hermione could see it then, that curiosity in his eyes, wondering what being with this other girl would be like. What it would be like to be with someone other than her…

She had stared at him stony faced, telling him that she would need time, but that she was determined to get past this. After all, she loved him. It was then that he'd spoken, confirming her worst fears as he confessed that he was confused and didn't know what he wanted. It had broken her heart and took everything in her not to beg him to stay, pleading like some pathetic lovesick fool. He had walked out that day, leaving her there to wait around like an idiot while he decided on what, _or who_ , exactly it was that he wanted.

She had cried all night, not breathing a word of any of this to Ginny or Harry as she waited and waited for him to walk through that door. The next morning the shrill ring of her phone had awoken her, Ginny's frantic and angry voice greeting her ears. Her words had been jumbled, a blubbering mess, but they had frozen Hermione's heart nonetheless.

Ron had taken a last minute flight to the States…with _her_ in tow.

It had completely… _ruined_ her. He didn't even say goodbye, he didn't even have the common decency to tell Hermione to her face, or at least pick up a darn phone, that he'd chosen this other girl over her. No, instead he'd humiliated her in the worst way possible. He'd left her out to dry, hoping and waiting, while he trotted off with the girl he'd left her for. It had broken her heart and had almost broken her.

His family had been furious, Mrs. Weasley begging him to come home, to see reason and at least speak to Hermione, afraid that this would ruin _their_ relationship. It almost had too. It had taken months for Hermione to even step inside of the Weasley home, the comfy building too riddled with haunting memories. It had taken almost two years for that gaping hole to become nothing but a dull ache, almost nonexistent with the help of her friends. However, it had only taken six months for Ronald's name to appear on her phone again, leaving voicemail after voicemail. She had never listened to any of them, deleting them and blocking his number in the process.

Ginny was the one to tell her that apparently, he and _Lavender_ didn't last for very long, breaking up not even three months after he'd left. He'd told Ginny how awful he felt, how he'd made the worst mistake of his life, begging his sister to let him speak to Hermione. She had refused, telling him that Hermione wanted nothing to do with him, and that was the truth.

Over the past two years, his relationship with his family had gotten better. They would talk to him almost every week, listening to him recount stories of his time in the U.S. He was taking some courses there, not wanting to be too behind when he eventually returned. It was easy to see that his family, or at least, certain members of his family, had forgiven him for the anguish he'd caused. However, they all also knew that it wasn't their forgiveness Ron wanted.

Hermione had forgiven him a long time ago, purely for her sake. She didn't want that on her chest. Still, she didn't want anything to do with him, realizing just what kind of person he was. Ginny had always told her that she had this warped view of Ronald, never really knowing who he was, and she'd been right.

"Yeah. I should go…"

"You know that you don't have to. No-one would blame you, Hermione," he softly said.

"No, I want to. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley want me there, and I want to see them…all of them. I haven't been by in weeks, and I'm long overdue for a visit," she shrugged.

She was over Ron, that much was very true, but there was a large part of her that wanted to see him again. She wanted him to fidget, suddenly unsure around her, face twisting up in discomfort as she regarded him. She wanted him to finally look her in the face and acknowledge what he did to her. Maybe that was childish, but she didn't care. Ron had almost broken her, and she had almost let him.

* * *

"You should come out with me instead. I don't understand why you're even entertaining this," his deep voice spoke up from where his head rested on her lap.

She huffed, eyes rolling towards the ceiling as she sensed the impending argument.

"…because Teddy, they invited me. I do enjoy being around his family, you know-."

"And you also want to see him grovel and beg for your forgiveness like the sniveling poor excuse of a man that he is."

Theo's words were laced with venom, the icy chill of them giving her frostbite.

Theo hated Ron with a passion, never feeling the need to hide his distaste of the boy who'd broken her heart. Despite the fact that she no longer held any ill feelings towards Ron, she could never blame Theo for his feelings. They had only just started to become a bit more than acquaintances when Ron had left, and he'd seen firsthand what it did to her. He'd seen parts of her during that time that not even her other friends had witnessed, pushing them further into the bond that solidified their friendship.

Too many times had he seen her too drunk to even function, having to lean on him as he practically dragged her to her bedroom and deposit her on her bed. Too many times did his knocks at the door go unanswered before he eventually let himself in, blue eyes finding her curled up frame in the corner of her bedroom as she cried into her knees. During that first year, there were so many nights when the other side of her bed was occupied by the dark haired boy on her couch, fingers trailing along her arms and back as she cried herself to sleep.

She always pretended not to notice Theo subtly keeping her away from sharp objects and her prescriptions. During that year, she pretended not to notice the way his eyes would worriedly watch her, afraid that any moment would be her last. The way he'd always just _be_ there, too afraid to leave her alone for too long, in case it got bad again. Theo had seen it all. He knew exactly what Ron had did to her, and he hated him for it.

"That might also have something to do with it," she reluctantly confessed.

He suddenly sat up, her fingers slipping from his hair where they had been resting. His eyes bore into her own, brown and blue clashing.

"You don't still have feelings for him, do you?"

Hermione frowned, the thought of ever feeling something for Ron again making her shiver in disgust.

"Of course not. You know what him leaving did to me. I just want…I don't know" she lamely shrugged. "I just want him to admit to my face what he did. I want to hear him say that he humiliated and nearly killed me because he was too much of a coward to break up with me properly. I want him to know that he almost destroyed me, but I survived. I want him to see that I'm doing just fine without him and…and I want him to hate it."

There, she'd said it. She wanted Ron to regret what he'd done for the rest of his life. She wanted that bit of satisfaction, she deserved it, after all. Theo chuckled, pulling her attention back to him as a small familiar smirk made its way onto his lips.

"I'm glad to see that I've been rubbing off on you, even if it is just a little bit," he said.

"Ugh, don't remind me," she complained, shoving him away from her as she stood.

She was just about to ask him if he wanted more popcorn when his phone alerted him to a new text message. She watched as his eyes ran over the screen, eyebrows furrowing and jaw hardening as he took it in. Hermione's heart skipped a beat, a sinking feeling in her stomach. She knew this had something to do with his _other_ life, the one he so easily kept hidden from her. She had become familiar with that look whenever a text would come through, or he'd get a phone call that would have his jaw ticking and fingers curling into fists. So, she was not surprised when he slid the sleek device into his pocket and said;

"Something's come up. I have to go."

Hermione was sure that the disappointment was evident on her face as he stood up.

"…okay."

He stepped towards her, towering over her frame as his hand found a resting place where her shoulder and neck met.

"Are you still going by your mum and dad's house? I can give you a lift on the way," he offered.

She nodded, accepting his offer as she turned to go put on her shoes. She did her best to ignore the way he clutched his phone again, troubled eyes hardening.

* * *

"You need to come over more often. I only see you once every two weeks or so," her mother complained as she poured their tea.

Hermione sighed, having heard this all before.

"I'm sorry, mum. My courses are much more difficult this year, and they just take up so much time," Hermione replied.

That wasn't entirely a lie. School was stressful, and her classes were more time consuming this time. She just didn't know how to constantly be around her parents all the while hiding her financial struggles. They knew her so well, and she was afraid they'd see right through her. Mrs. Granger shook her head, sitting down next to Hermione on the couch.

"You shouldn't push yourself so much, darling. I told you, take your time. A degree next year or a degree three years from now is still a degree," she advised.

"I know, I know. I promise, next year I'll relax a bit more. I just want to get all of the hard stuff out of the way as quickly as possible. You know how I get," Hermione said with a shrug.

Her mum smiled, hand raising to rest on Hermione's cheek.

"You were always such a busy bee. How _has_ school been going, though?"

Hermione went into detail about all of her individual courses, certain students who made the class more enjoyable and which professors she positively could not stand. Hermione found herself relaxing more and more as she talked to her mum. For a minute, it was easy to forget about her financial situation hanging over her like a sword, ready to drop at any moment. It was easy to pretend like Ronald wasn't coming back in the morning and that tomorrow night, she would see him for the first time in nearly two years.

Most of all, it was easy to forget about _that_ man, Draco Malfoy. Despite the fact that his offer was so tempting to accept, she'd forced herself to push it to the very back of her mind, refusing to get involved with the likes of him. It was _so_ easy to forget, until she'd noticed the envelope on the living room table…

Her mum had excused herself, answering a phone call that she assumed was her father when her eyes landed on it. It was beneath a crap ton of other mail, the bulk of it hidden, but the bold red letters that read _Final Notice_ were clear as day. Without thinking, Hermione dived for it, tearing it open with a savageness she didn't know she possessed. As her eyes took in the contents of the letter, her hands began to tremble, eyes widening as her lips parted in horror. Her eyes had barely begun to scan over the piece of paper when it was snatched out of her fingers.

Her eyes rested on her mum who was quickly folding it up, slipping it back in the envelope as she avoided Hermione's eyes.

"Mum," Hermione choked, throat incredibly thick.

She hadn't thoroughly read the whole thing, but she'd read enough. Words like payments and foreclosure were cemented in her brain as she regarded the woman standing before her.

"Mum-."

"We have everything under control, Hermione. You have no need to worry," her mother reassured.

She was lying, Hermione could see it. The fear and worry were hidden there in her mum's eyes, causing Hermione's heart to clench. When had it gotten so bad? How long had it been this bad? If that statement was anything to go by, Hermione guessed that it had been this bad for a while, a lot longer than her parents would ever admit. How foolish was she to think that she was the only one still struggling after the bankruptcy.

"Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you tell me?"

Was this how Harry had felt that day? Did he feel this blindsided, this hurt, this _helpless_?

"Hermione, I've told you. You need not to worry. You need to focus on school and your own expenses, that's what's important," Mrs. Granger said, sadly patting her cheek as she took their empty cups into the kitchen.

Hermione bit her lip as she looked around, just now noticing the bareness of the room. They had already begun to sell some of their things, and Hermione's heart clenched at the thought of her parents selling off things that mattered most just to survive. It was bad, she didn't need for her mum to tell her that, she could confirm it with her own eyes. With a clenched jaw, Hermione grabbed her purse, the door slamming shut behind her.

* * *

The muffled sound of loud music made its way into her car as she sat in front of her steering wheel, hands clenched so tightly around it her knuckles were starting to ache. She had long shut the engine off, sitting in the car in complete darkness as she stared ahead, the image of her mother's strong, but troubled eyes forever burned into her brain. Hermione bowed her head, resigning herself to her fate.

Her parents were in trouble, probably only weeks away from being left out on the street. They'd hidden this from her, the sting of betrayal so fresh even though she had no reason to feel that way. After all, was she not doing the same thing? Her forehead rested against the steering wheel, breathing uneven as she fought back tears, eyes stinging. Her parents had taken care of her all her life. They'd worked so hard for the small amount of wealth they did have, worked so hard to give her a good life and in one fell swoop, all of that hard work was erased. Any evidence of it, gone.

Now, it was her turn to take care of them…

With a surge of energy, she exited her car, the brisk night air biting into her bare legs. The black off the shoulder dress clung to her frame like a second skin, something she'd swiped from Ginny's closet so long ago she'd forgotten about it. Her normally unruly curls were somewhat tamed for the night, falling around her face and shoulders in wide ringlets. The sound of her short heels connecting with the pavement coincided with the unsteady beat of her heart.

The now familiar towering building loomed over her with an ominous presence, as if telling her that she was making a grave mistake. Her fingers dug into the small clutch in her hand as she stepped inside, the loud music nearly bursting her ear drums. A sense of déjà vu washed over her as Blaise appeared in front of her, looming over her before she could step any further.

"Theo isn't here, tonight," he said, an almost threatening tone underneath his words, eyes almost telling her to leave.

Of course he would think she'd arrived for Theo. That's the only reason she ever came before, and as far as he knew, she had no other reason to be there. Even with her makeup done and a sultry dress clinging to her figure, it was apparent to anyone looking in that she did not belong there. Hermione was a good girl, and good girls didn't belong in places like this.

Hermione sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, eyes going wide with a mix of anxiety and fear as she spoke.

"I'm here to see Draco Malfoy."

The only indication Blaise gave to being surprised by her statement was the raise of his eyebrows, eyes regarding her as they narrowed, mind going a mile a minute. She wasn't stupid, she knew exactly what he was thinking. Why on earth was _she_ there to see Draco Malfoy? The longer he stared, the more nervous she got, and she swallowed, suddenly very unsure. The corner of his lips pulled up into an almost pitying smirk as he shook his head, turning to walk into the crowd.

She didn't follow, getting the sense that she wasn't supposed to. Her eyes darted around the crowd, the sound of shouts coming from _that_ room, the one she'd seen with the cage, the men beating each other to a pulp as people tossed their money around, placing bets. She mildly wondered if Theo ever enjoyed that, if he ever took part in something so barbaric and demeaning. She shook her head, forcing herself not to go down that road.

She felt him before she saw him, somehow her body had become used to his commanding presence. People around her shifted as they sensed him too, involuntarily moving away from the man in the center of the room. She lifted her head and found that his eyes were already on her, drinking her in as he gazed passed dozens of heads and moving bodies just to rest the almost glowing irises on her. She swallowed again, unsure of how to approach this as he simply… _stared_ at her.

His feline like eyes slowly wandered over her trembling frame, eyes taking in every part of her. From the curls that now had a mind of their own due to the humidity in the room, all the way down to her light pink toenail polish. She had never felt so exposed in her life. His eyes finally landed on her face again, and he slowly tilted his head to the side, wet lips pulling into a slow smirk before simply turning around and disappearing down the dark hallway behind him.

This time she knew she was supposed to follow.

She brushed past the crowd of oblivious partygoers, eyes adjusting to the lack of light in the long stretch of the hallway. She could see his figure just ahead of her, lazily making his way down the path, seemingly without a care in the world. The further they went, the more muffled the music became. Soon, the only sounds were those of their shoes connecting with the marble floor.

Hermione faltered as he came to a door, opening it and stepping inside with ease, the sounds of his footsteps fading as they ascended. Her eyes landed on a modern style spiral staircase as soon as she stepped inside. Deciding that time was of the essence, she quickly followed him. She stopped when she soon found herself inside of a room.

Her eyes took everything in, noting that the room was the size of a studio apartment. Dark curtains brushed along the large window, the glow of the moon on the plush carpet beneath her shoes. There was a lavish bed in the middle of the far wall, a nightstand on either side. She took another step forward, passing the impressive bar to her left and approaching the glass table in the center of the room, the glass table that Draco was standing behind.

He had swiped something from the bar on his way in, now pouring himself a drink as he regarded her.

"To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

The words dripped from his mouth like honey, stormy eyes gazing into her own, daring her to speak up, to voice why she was there. She licked her lips, his gaze hungrily following the movement as she spoke.

"It's my parents…they're in a lot of debt. They're about to lose their house, and who knows what else," she whispered.

He nodded, lifting the glass to his lips.

"I see, and you want me to…take care of this?"

She nodded, eyes downcast.

"…what about you?"

Her eyes lifted to land on his face, confused.

"What about me?"

"What about your own situation?"

She huffed, folding her arms over her chest, turning her head away.

"I'm not here for me. I came because-."

"No," he interrupted, the glass clinking against the table as he set it down.

Her heart dropped to her stomach as she turned to face him, eyes wide.

"What?" she whispered.

He approached her, silk shirt fitted over his chest, and she had to swallow down her less than innocent thoughts as she looked up at him. His blonde hair was currently a mess, like he'd been running his hand through it all night. He reached up, brushing her hair off of her shoulder, thumb grazing the side of her neck, goosebumps erupting over her flesh.

"I can take care of their troubles _and_ your troubles or…I can take care of neither," he hummed, eyes raking over her face.

Hermione closed her eyes, reluctantly accepting this.

"…and in return you'd get…," she trailed off, unable to say it.

He chuckled, an addicting sound as he leaned in, nose brushing against her forehead.

"Relax, Hermione. Stop treating this like some sort of lewd business transaction," he breathed.

His other hand trailed down her arm, fingers intertwining with her own.

"I told you before, I'm interested in you…" his hand dropped to her waist "I want to get to know you, bask in your company."

Wherever his fingers flowed, they left a scorching trail in their wake. She inhaled as he maneuvered his way behind her, chest grazing her back as his arms came up to wrap around her waist. His chin found rest on her shoulder, his nose grazing her cheek.

"So this is our agreement? You help me and my family, and I, for all intents and purposes, become something akin to a girlfriend to you…"

He hummed in agreement, hands tightening on her waist.

"Stay here for a while tonight. Have fun, relax, and enjoy yourself. Your debt, and your parents' debt, is no longer your concern. I'll take care of it, and tomorrow…," he trailed off.

She watched as he reached inside of her purse, fingers wrapping around her phone as he put his number into it.

"…you'll meet me."

"Tomorrow night?"

Hermione's head turned to face him, lips almost ghosting over his. Ron's welcoming party was tomorrow night…

"Tomorrow night."

She silently agreed, wondering if it was possible to make it to both. His hand was suddenly on her cheek, turning her head towards him fully as his eyes bore into her own, asking for permission. She exhaled, leaning in as his lips descended over her own, sealing their agreement with a kiss.


	4. Chapter 4

_"What's her name?"_

_Ron lifted his head, eyes wide, almost comically so, as he regarded her still frame. Hermione then wondered if she looked as distraught as she felt. She wasn't sure, but she **was** sure of the way her heart had not slowed down for even a second after he'd confessed to her. Her stomach felt heavy, as if she'd just swallowed an anvil and her arms had gone numb._

_Somehow, she had known something bad was going to happen that day. All morning, she'd had the most sour taste in her mouth, contributing to the feeling of nausea swirling around within her stomach. Now, it all made sense._

_"What…?"_

_"Her name, Ronald. What is her name? After all, this **is** the girl who has succeeded in tempting you not once, but **three** times…," she trailed off, feeling sick just saying it aloud._

_Ron swallowed, shaking his head._

_"I don't think that's necessa-."_

_"For fuck's sake, Ron! What the hell is her name?"_

_Ron started, taken aback by her out of character behavior, and it was then that she was sure he could see the tears in her eyes. The tears she had been trying so desperately hard to hold back. She had been trying so hard to be strong, but it was growing difficult the heavier her heart got. The love of her life, the handsome boy who she'd loved for as long as she could remember was slipping through her fingers…and she didn't know what to do._

_He sighed, rubbing his hands together before saying;_

_"Lavender."_

_Hermione nodded, internally scoffing at the pretty name. She'd bet that she was some gorgeous golden-haired girl with tons of friends and an outgoing personality. After all, that was always his type in Secondary School and even 'til they graduated. 'Til he started dating her._

_Hermione looked down, playing with her fingers, not sure what to say next. She brought them further into her lap as Ron reached out to her, eyebrows furrowing at her behavior._

_"I'm so sorry, Hermione."_

_She sighed, exhaling rather loudly as she swallowed. She wasn't sure if she believed him or not, but she wanted to. She wanted to believe that he was remorseful, and that this whole nightmare could just be a thing of the past. After all, she loved him…_

_"It's not okay, so I won't say that it is. I don't…," she glanced up "…I don't know how you could do this to someone you claimed to love not even three days ago, but I love you. I want this to work- I want **us** to work, so I'm willing to try and move past this…"_

_Hermione trailed off as Ron frowned, eyes troubled as he looked away._

_"It's not that simple…"_

_Hermione blinked, body growing cold as she processed his words._

_"What do you mean?"_

_Hermione was far from stupid, she knew what he meant, but she had hoped… She'd thought she was enough._

_"I…don't know what I want," he confessed._

_She was standing now, heart breaking for a second time that afternoon as she looked at him like he was mental._

_"How can you not know? What does that even mean, Ronald? You've known me your entire life, and you…you hardly even know this girl!"_

_His eyes met hers, and Hermione took a sharp inhale of breath. It was there, hidden, but still there in his eyes. It was a look of wonder, wondering what being with this girl would be like. Wondering what it would be like to hold her, kiss her, love her…love this girl who wasn't her. Hermione wrapped her arms around herself. He didn't have to say it, but she knew._

_He **wanted** to know this girl._

_"I'm sorry," he said again._

_He stood too, and Hermione's face crumbled as she turned away from him, knowing that this was the end of this conversation. He was going to walk out of that door, and there was a chance she wouldn't ever get to hold him again or kiss him. He was quiet, and she imagined that he was staring at her, trying to find the words to somehow make this better, **easier**._

_"I never wanted to hurt you, Hermione…"_

_She didn't reply, and eventually he just left. She only collapsed when the sound of his car disappeared down the street._

* * *

"You do know that you really don't have to come tonight. Mum and dad will completely understand. Hell, she even told me that it would be better for you not to rush this. If you need more time-."

"It's been two years, Ginny," Hermione sighed.

Ginny frowned as they descended down the steps, her bottom lip pulled between her teeth with worry as she gazed at her friend. Hermione knew that Ginny was just concerned, trying to be a good friend, but she would be lying if she said it wasn't a bit irritating. She knew that she had been the absolute worst version of herself when Ron left, she knew that more than anyone. However, like she'd said, that was two years ago. The whole ordeal had definitely opened her eyes and whatever feelings she had for Ron no longer existed.

He would be in her life, yes. After all, he was Ginny's brother and Harry's closest friend. However, that's all he ever would be. Not only had he destroyed their relationship, but he'd ruined their friendship as well, and Hermione supposed that was what hurt the most when it came down to it. They'd been friends for years before they started dating, and while it hurt that a boyfriend could do such a thing to his girlfriend, it hurt even worse that a friend could do that to a friend.

"I know. I just…we all know how much he meant to you, and I know that he hurt you more than you ever cared to let me know," Ginny responded.

"I understand. I can't fault you for being worried, but I promise you… It's going to be fine. I haven't been by in ages and I want to see everyone. Even Charlie is coming! There's no way I'd miss it," Hermione reassured.

She suddenly frowned, a vision of an imposing blond man coming to mind. She bit her lip, thinking.

"Although…there is a chance I might be a bit late. A last minute thing came up yesterday, and it's kind of important…"

"Really? Any chance you'll tell me what it is?"

"It's a…business thing. It's a very long and complicated story, but I will be there," Hermione answered.

Ginny skeptically eyed Hermione.

"A business thing or a date? I swear, if you are missing out on a date just for this stupid welcoming party I'll-."

"It's not a date, promise. Just let everyone know that I'll be a little late," Hermione rushed to say.

Ginny put her hands up, conceding before looking around.

"Where's your car?"

"Theo gave me a ride this morning. His class ends in a few minutes," Hermione answered, purposefully avoiding Ginny's gaze.

Ginny exhaled, and Hermione tensed, preparing herself for another lecture.

"Hermione, can I ask you something?"

Hermione eyed her, crossing her arms over her chest before reluctantly nodding.

"Are you and Theo-?" She cut herself off, pursing her lips before continuing, "You two are just friends right? That's all you've ever been, correct?"

Hermione hesitated, eyes widening a fraction before she gave a jerky nod.

_"Hermione, we can't," he murmured against her lips, pushing her away from him._

She blinked, lightly shaking her head before saying;

"Why would you ask me that?"

"I know we've had this fight a million times, and I'm sorry, but it's just that the two of you are so close… He's just not good company, and sometimes I get skeptical that you could genuinely care for him so much without the influence of… _other_ emotions," she reluctantly confessed.

Hermione reared back, insulted on Teddy's behalf. She knew that Ginny didn't care for her dark haired best friend at all, but to imply that there was nothing likeable or redeemable about him lest she was trying to get inside of his pants was downright…offensive.

She scoffed, attempting to hide her irritation.

"He's been a great friend to me, more than you know. You don't know him like I do, Ginny," Hermione defended.

"You don't even know him! I…I've heard awful things about him, Hermione. I've heard that he's mixed up in all sorts of shady business, the kind you see on movies and TV shows that-."

"Enough. I'm sick of having this same conversation with you."

"Aren't you ever curious? I know you've heard the same things I've heard and-."

"I don't care. Yeah, hard to believe, right? I don't care, Ginny, he's my best friend. He's been there for me more times than I can count, and no amount of 'thank you's' will ever be enough. Am I naïve enough to believe that he's this all around great guy you'd bring home to mum and dad? No! I know that there's a part of his life he keeps me in the dark about, and he's entitled to that. It's none of my business," she snapped.

Ginny shook her head, eyes hard.

"That's incredibly stupid of you," she hissed.

"He's not a bad person. No one is perfect…"

Ginny was just about to open her mouth to retort when she looked over Hermione's shoulder and clenched her jaw. Hermione turned to see Teddy a few yards away, making his way towards them with a crooked smile attached to his lips. Hermione swallowed, giving Ginny a warning look as she clutched her bag to her shoulder.

"I can't believe we're in Uni and some professors are still pulling that 'only I dismiss you' crap," he complained.

Hermione chuckled, and wondered if he could sense the tension in the air. Nonetheless, he threw Ginny a smile and a greeting.

"Weasley. You ready?" he asked, turning to face her.

"Yeah," she said, walking in the direction of his car without as much as a backwards glance at Ginny.

She knew that Ginny was just trying to be a good friend, she couldn't fault her for that, but there always came a point where some things just needed to be let go. Theo was her friend, plain and simple.

"You can't let what she says get to you," he said once they were inside his car.

She looked up at him with wide eyes.

"You heard?"

He shook his head, dark locks of hair falling onto his forehead as he focused on the road before him.

"No, but I know that she hates me," he shrugged "…she has a right to, I suppose."

Hermione frowned at this, eyeing him. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"What did you do?"

He chuckled, pearly whites on display as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Hermione didn't laugh, and he sobered up with a sigh, rolling his eyes.

"I hooked up with one of her friends during our last year before graduation. Padme something," he said.

" _Padma_ …," she corrected "…that's it?"

He made a sound like he was debating on whether or not to elaborate before saying;

"I was a bit of an asshole."

"Describe 'a bit'," she demanded.

"Look, Hermione, we've had this discussion before. I was the absolute worse when it came to girls-."

"You still are," she cut in.

He gave her a look before exhaling.

"I buttered her up with compliments and shit, we hooked up, I accidentally said her sister's name, and then I kicked her out," he confessed.

"Oh my God!"

"That was the watered down version. There may have been some not so nice other stuff involved," he said, cringing.

He at least had the decency to look ashamed, and Hermione scoffed, shaking her head. She didn't even want to know the details if that was the watered down version. Still, she couldn't help but feel like Ginny knew something that she didn't. What Theo did was enough to make any girl mad, but it wasn't anything worse than what the average male asshole would do. So why did it seem like Ginny had it out for Teddy?

His arm came back to rest on the back of her seat, and he grinned.

"You should ditch the weasel's little party tonight and hang out with me instead. Just you and me… I'll buy us a shit ton of junk food and we could just watch movies all night," he proposed.

The corners of Hermione's mouth pulled up into a small smile. She would love that, it was something they did often, and there was no doubt in her mind that she'd enjoy it more than Ron's little shindig, but…

"Honestly, I would, but there's actually something I have to do before I head over to the Weasley's."

There was a brief silence, one in which she hoped he wouldn't ask her to elaborate, but…

"That's all I get?"

She sunk in her seat and told him the same thing she told Ginny, hoping he'd buy it, but she should have known better than that. He scoffed, shaking his head as he turned the corner, the sun glinting off of the shiny watch on his wrist.

"We've always been honest with each other, Hermione. What's up?"

She groaned, and focused her eyes on the road.

"I'm meeting up with Draco Malfoy tonight," she bluntly stated.

She gasped in shock, pressing her hands onto the glove compartment to keep from hitting her head as he slammed on the breaks. She looked up at him, her terrified brown eyes clashing with his cold, icy blue ones.

"What the fuck?"

She swallowed, the anger in his eyes freezing her in place. He simply stared at her for a painfully long period of time before jerking back onto the road, eyes staring straight ahead.

"Teddy-."

" _Don't_. Just…don't..."

Hermione frowned, leaning back in her seat as he neared her neighborhood. She wasn't sure what he was thinking, and that unnerved her. No matter how angry or annoyed he would be with her, he at least always voiced it. At the moment, he wasn't saying a word.

The car ride was awkward, a tense silence in the air as she continued to eye him. She knew that he'd warned her about the blond young man, and she was sure that he had his reasons, but how was she possibly supposed to tell him the truth? She knew that if she spilled everything, he'd take care of it all in a heartbeat. While the idea had tempted her before, Hermione had decided against it, concluding that he'd already done so much for her.

A decent sized package was what greeted her as Teddy parked outside of her house, the box sitting on her doorstep. She frowned in confusion, positive that she wasn't expecting anything for the day. Beside her, Teddy scoffed.

"I'm sure that's some fancy dress he wants you to wear, looking like some high society girl that he would have everyone believe you to be," he sneered.

Hermione turned to face him, but his eyes were still focused ahead.

"What makes you think that?"

He glanced at the package with disdain, his upper lip curled over his teeth.

"Let's just say, I know his type…"

Hermione let out a small sigh, reaching down to grab her bag, Teddy's hand closing over hers just as she reached for the door. She turned to face him, his cold blue eyes resting on her house before they fell on her.

"If you feel uncomfortable in anyway…if anything, _anything_ at all happens, and you want to get out of there…away from him, you call me. Understand?"

She nodded, taken aback by his somber tone.

"I don't care how silly you think it is…," he trailed off.

"I understand," she said.

She closed the door behind her, eyes resting on him as he leaned over to look at her through his window.

"Be careful, 'Mione."

* * *

Theo had been right. A beautiful red dress awaited her within the large box. The strapless ball gown hugged her like a glove, flaring out near the bottom in a heap of fabric, making her look like some kind of princess. She had never worn anything like it in her life, and had to admit that she loved it, despite the daring color, something she never would have chosen for herself. Draco thought that red suited her, and he made sure that he told her as much.

"You look lovely," he murmured, his lips brushing against the skin of her cheek as he told her so.

Hermione ducked her head, her wild curls hiding her face from view as she processed his words. His hand on her waist burned through her dress, bringing heat to her skin as he tightened his grip, pulling her closer.

"Thank you," she quietly responded.

A finger underneath her chin forced her to tilt her head upwards, brown eyes meeting his silver ones as he tilted his head, a playful smirk on his lips.

"You don't like compliments," he deduced.

"I'm…not used to them," she corrected.

It was the truth. Sure, Ginny would compliment her sometimes, it was what friends did. The same could be said for Harry and Theo, she supposed. However, it had been a long time since she'd been showered in compliments from a man who was interested in her as a woman.

Draco leaned in closer, lips hovering next to her ear.

"I guess I'll have to fix that…"

Hermione felt heat come to her cheeks as she glanced around, relieved to see that everyone's attention seemed to be elsewhere. It was a nice contrast from when they had first entered the building, dozens of eyes falling onto the pair, wondering who had accompanied _Draco Malfoy_. She turned back around to face him, almost taking a step back at the intensity in his eyes. His hand came upwards to brush his thumb against her bottom lip, wiping off some of her lips gloss.

"I really want to kiss you," he said.

She swallowed, flustered.

"We're in a room full of people. I'm not too sure how they'd feel about that…"

He simply chuckled, silently heeding to her discomfort as he pulled away, intertwining his fingers with her own as he pulled her through the large room. She looked around in wonder. If she had to guess, she'd say that there was at least one hundred people in the spacious room, all of them dressed to impress in fancy suits and ostentatious gowns. Hermione couldn't help but to feel out of place in such a setting, but as she ran her hand down the side of her dress, she remembered that for tonight, and for however long Draco would have her, she _was_ one of these people.

"So, what is this? Some sort of Ball? A social gathering for the rich and snooty?"

Draco laughed again, really laughed this time, not offended in the slightest by her insult.

"Actually, it's a meeting, a business meeting. This fancy shindig is really just for show, it's to keep up appearances while the real action happens behind closed doors," he confessed.

"Oh. What do you do?"

He didn't answer her at first, wrapping his arm around her waist as he looked around. She wasn't sure if he was avoiding the question or if he simply felt that was too personal of a question to ask.

"As of now, I do nothing, but I'm preparing to take over after my father."

Hermione nodded, deciding against asking him what that was exactly. She wasn't really his girlfriend, and if he'd wanted her to know he would have elaborated. Besides, it was Draco Malfoy. One internet search would tell her all she needed to know.

Draco suddenly tensed beside her, it was brief, but it was enough for her to look up at him in wonder. His jaw was clenched, eyes hard as he gazed ahead of them, his entire mood doing a complete one-eighty. She felt goosebumps arise over her flesh, the look on his face all too familiar.

...

_"It's a lot more fun than you think," Draco chuckled. He reached to boldly tuck a stray curl behind her ear, to which she pushed his arm away from her._

_Unbothered by her rejection, his fingers reached into the pockets of his trousers, emerging with a wad of cash tied neatly together with a band. He whipped the band off and tossed the cash into the center of the table, the other males cheering. His eyes narrowed as he reached for the cards, his gaze so stern that she became slightly afraid of his suddenly dark countenance._

_..._

Hermione hesitantly followed his gaze, and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

A tall dark haired man was making his way towards them, walking through the crowd of people with ease. If anything, they seemed to move out of his way. He was older, maybe by roughly ten years or so, but it did nothing to diminish his attractive features. His sharp nose and jawline was a contrast to his soft pink, almost baby-like, lips. At first glance, he seemed like any other attractive gentleman in Hermione's eyes, but then said eyes met his, and Hermione froze. His dark eyes were cold and sinister, something wild and dangerous swirling in their depths that unnerved her.

Hermione involuntarily took a step back, pressing herself into Draco as this man approached them. It wasn't until he was only a few feet away did Hermione's frown deepen. She recognized this man, and turned her face towards Draco to confirm.

"Is that…? Is that _Tom Riddle_?"

Draco gave a sharp nod, and Hermione looked down, not wanting to meet this man's eyes again.

Tom Riddle was a name that was quite popular in not only their area, but surrounding areas as well. He was the CEO of some technological company, his headquarters in the next city over. She'd heard many things about this man, none of them pleasant. He was known to be quite cold, the stereotypical businessman, and there'd even been a rumor that he'd snaked the company right out from underneath his business partner.

He was a terrifyingly ambitious man who had a habit of getting what he wanted…one way or another.

"Young Malfoy. I'd heard that you'd be representing your father tonight," he greeted, the two shaking hands.

His deep voice had an airy quality to it. Hermione was sure that many women might have found it attractive. However, to her, it just came off as snakelike, and an involuntary shiver traveled down her spine.

"We both figured that now was as good a time as any," Draco's words were clipped, hinting at his disinterest in discussion with the wealthy man.

The dark haired male nodded at that, his eyes betraying his feigned interest as they landed on her.

"I don't believe we've met…," he trailed off, hand clasping around her own as she accepted his offer.

Draco's grip tightened even further, his fingers almost digging into her side as Mr. Riddle regarded her.

"This is my date for the evening…Hermione."

His tone of voice left no room for further elaboration or questioning, indicating that he told the other male all he wanted him to know. Mr. Riddle made a humming sound as his thumb grazed over the top of her hand, eventually dropping it as if it burned him, and Hermione held it against her, suddenly _very_ uncomfortable.

A cold smile fell over his face.

"Send my best wishes to your father. I was rather looking forward to seeing him tonight. I suppose that you'll have to do," he said, walking away with a small chuckle, patting Draco's shoulder along the way.

"I didn't realize that you knew him," she said after some time.

Although, she shouldn't have been surprised to know that their families ran in the same circles.

"My father hates him, and the feeling is more than mutual. He was simply being polite for appearances' sake," Draco scoffed, his thumb rubbing circles into her waist.

She turned her head to really look at him then, eyes resting on his tense frame, apparent that Mr. Riddle's presence really bothered him. She rested her hand on his arm, his head turning towards her as a result.

"When you told me that we'd be going out tonight…I'll admit, I didn't expect this" she waved her arm around "…but all the same, I am enjoying myself. It's different. Plus…it's kind of cool to see how the other side lives."

Draco's small smile slowly transformed into a smirk, his fingers tightening around hers again. He turned, taking a step closer, his chest brushing against hers as he leaned in.

"Want to get out of here?"

Hermione blinked, glancing around, throat suddenly growing thick at his close proximity.

"Where?"

"I can hear stuffy men talk business any day," he whispered "…besides, I want to see what you look like when you scream."

* * *

And scream Hermione did. Her fingers were clutching her seatbelt so hard she was sure she'd rip it off at any moment. She felt tears form in the corner of her eyes as she let out another shriek of terror, Draco's car almost spinning as he drifted around the curve, overtaking the car that was in front of him.

The empty parking deck was huge, towering several stories high as they exited, Draco speeding onto the empty street as he, quite literally, pressed the pedal to the metal. The open windows allowed the wind to whip her unruly hair around her face, and her heart hammered in her chest, wide eyes focused on the road ahead.

The buildings and city lights flew by at an alarming speed, and Hermione was legitimately too terrified to glance and see how fast he was going. She had to admit that this was not what she had in mind when he dragged her out of the flashy building, almost running to his car, not even bothering with the valet.

"Oh my God, oh my God," Hermione chanted as he weaved through traffic, the few people on the road honking at them.

"You look like you might hurl," Draco said, a husky laugh escaping his lips as he eyed her.

She simply glared at him, one of her hands now pressed against the dash, squealing when he just barely slid in between two cars.

"I did _not_ sign up for this when I agreed to your offer," Hermione snapped.

"It'll be over before you know it. I always win…"

"Do you ever get _hurt_?" she demanded, immediately cringing.

She sounded like her mum.

She watched as a slow smirk made its way onto his lips, one of his hands coming down to rest on her thigh, an attempt to soothe her.

"Never," he whispered.

Hermione swallowed, heat settling in the pit of her stomach at the contact. The car was briefly illuminated, her eyes trailing over his collarbone from where he'd undone his first three buttons, suit jacket tossed in the back seat as soon as he'd slid into the car.

"Well…there's always a first time for everything," she whispered back.

His smirk simply grew, blonde hair brushing along his forehead as he took a sharp left, navigating through a tunnel, the bright lights of his opponent not far behind.

"Do you do this often?"

She wondered if she should have even been talking to him at all, afraid she might distract them, and then they'd both die.

"Once a week or so…," he offhandedly commented.

Hermione was positive that she was going to be sick, but Draco had been right. The race had finished rather quickly, her shaky frame leaning against the vehicle as Draco counted out his reward, as if he didn't already have enough. He simply smirked as he approached her trembling frame, eyes dancing with mirth.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Hermione simply glared at him, but was reluctant to admit that she did enjoy the adrenaline rush once she was off the road and positive she wasn't going to die. She looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes as he leaned one hand on the roof of his car, his breath mingling with hers in the chilly air.

"Admit it…you had fun," he said, head tilted as he eyed her.

Hermione turned her face away, determined to be stubborn.

"That was incredibly dangerous," she chided.

"That's what makes it so exciting," he purred, lips brushing against her throat.

She rolled her eyes, silently thinking to herself that he really was the asshole she had first thought him to be. However, that didn't stop her from allowing his fingers to ghost along her jaw, slowly turning her head to face him, chest brushing against her own now. Her eyes met his, and he devoured her then.

His lips descended over hers with vigor, and their tongues battled as he sucked, stroked, and toyed with her own. His lips were relentless as he pressed her against his car, the warmth from the still running vehicle seeping into her half covered back. Her breath was ragged, thick with want as he pressed his pelvis against her own, and Hermione found herself pulling away. He let her.

As his forehead rested against her own, Hermione found herself thankful that Draco wasn't half bad. He wanted her, _all of her_ , he'd made that much obvious from the very first moment that he met her. Yet, he still respected her silent, yet obvious, wishes to take this as slow as _she_ wanted, on her terms.

As his hand came up to tangle in her curls, her eyes caught sight of the expensive Rolex on his wrist, and her eyes widened at the time.

"Oh my god! I was meant to be somewhere," she panicked.

Draco pulled away, eyebrows furrowed as he gazed at her.

"Where? I'll give you a lift…"

She paused, looking up at him with a slight frown.

"Their house is quite far, almost going towards the rural areas. I couldn't ask you to…," she trailed off.

"Hermione…you're with me now. I look after those who are with me, come on," he said, opening the passenger door.

She reluctantly slid in, just clicking her seatbelt as he drove off.

"Is this some kind of party, because I think you'll be overdressed for anything less," he said.

Hermione grimaced, looking down at her attire.

"It's a welcoming party for…a former friend of mine. He's returning from the States after nearly two years," she whispered.

Draco hummed, eyes focused on the dark road as she gave him directions.

"Why greet someone who's no longer your friend?" he asked after some time.

"He's still very close with one of our mutual best friends. That and he's also another best friend's brother," she mumbled.

"You sound bitter about that," he guessed.

Hermione sighed, silently agreeing that she supposed she was. After all, it would be that much harder to just leave Ron in the past. She really didn't want anything to do with him.

"Would I be correct in assuming that this former friend is also a former lover?"

Hermione sighed again, sinking in her seat. Teddy had constantly told her that she was an open book, wearing her heart on her sleeve.

"It ended rather ugly," she confirmed "…and it's not like I still have feelings for him or anything. I just don't want him in my life."

"Then don't go," he shrugged.

"…but I should. I love his family, haven't seen them in ages, and who would I be if I allowed him to ruin that for me?"

He hummed in agreement, slowing the car as he pulled up outside of a large and familiar house. Hermione eyed the structure, a million memories running through her mind as she focused on the shadows of people in the glowing windows.

"Want me to come in?"

"God no! What would that look like, me bringing some random man to Ron's welcoming party?"

She shook her head, cringing at how desperate and petty that would look.

Just as she reached for the door, Draco reached into the backseat, pulling out a long black coat and setting it onto her lap. She thanked him, grateful that she could hide her daring dress from prying eyes. She had just finished snapping the buttons together when his lips brushed hers, a sigh leaving her lips at the contact as his fingers brushed her hair over her shoulder.

"You want me to pick you up?"

She shook her head.

"I'll be fine," she said as she exited the car.

She turned to look at him through the open window, a smirk on his sinful lips as he winked at her. She waved him off with a small smile as his car sped down the street, memories of her wild night clouding her mind. She exhaled before turning around and freezing in place.

Hermione was surprised to find that…he looked the same. He was still tall, shoulders still broad and arms as toned as they were before. He was dressed somewhat casual in an emerald green sweater that contrasted nicely against his vibrant red hair. His bottom half was covered in black slacks and matching shoes, his hands shoved into his pockets as he regarded her. Hermione didn't realize that she'd started walking towards him until his blue eyes appeared that much bigger.

She hadn't seen or heard from Ronald in two years, and looking at him then, she found that she felt…

Nothing.

"'Mione," he breathed, lips stretching into a smile.

"Ron," she evenly replied.

He shuffled his feet, unsure of what to do with her indifferent tone.

"I thought that I heard a car outside. I'd hoped it was you…nice car," he casually added.

"I was with a friend. I'm sorry I'm so late. Time kind of got away from us before I realized…," she trailed off.

He opened his mouth before immediately snapping it shut, taking a step towards her, his warm blue eyes pleading.

"Can we talk for a moment…before we go inside? Can I just talk with you?"

Hermione had often imagined what she would feel or what she would do when she eventually saw Ron again. She had wondered if she'd scream and curse him to the lowest pits of hell, or simply slap him, something to just get her point and anger across. She had even wondered if she'd cry, embarrassing herself as all of the old emotions came pouring back in. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she'd look at him with something akin to a mixture of pity and indifference, yet here she was.

She looked at Ron and felt nothing. He was just a boy she loved, a boy who'd broken her heart, and now just a boy she used to know. She didn't want to talk to him. She found that she had nothing to say to him, all of her words long lost in empty vodka bottles and Teddy's ever eager ears. She didn't want to hear anything he had to say either, realizing that anything he'd say wouldn't help her, only hinder her at most.

She softly smiled at him, conscience clear as she brushed past him.

"We should go inside. I've kept them waiting long enough…"


End file.
